PENANG’S head of state, Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Ramli Ngah Talib, has praised efforts under the Mutiara Line LRT project to integrate environmental protection into infrastructure development, saying the approach should become the benchmark for future projects in the state.
He said the commitment to plant more than 6,700 new trees to replace about 2,100 trees affected by the project, along with the transplanting and monitoring of selected mature trees, demonstrates that development can proceed without compromising nature.
“Such measures reflect an important principle – that development should not proceed with indifference towards nature, but with a conscious responsibility to minimise ecological loss and, wherever possible, to restore and enhance the environment.
“I hope this approach will continue to be strengthened and serve as a standard for future development projects,” Ramli said.
The Star reported in May that more than 6,700 trees would be planted along the 23.7km Mutiara Line corridor. While about 2,100 existing trees would have to be removed, they would not be felled indiscriminately.
Ramli said Penang has shown that economic growth and the preservation of its natural and cultural heritage are not mutually exclusive.
“The real question is not whether Penang should continue to develop, but what kind of development it should pursue.
“A truly developed society must be judged not only by its buildings, roads and investments, but also by the quality of life it provides, the health of its natural environment and its ability to preserve the heritage and identity that make it unique,” he said.
He noted that the state has charted its direction through the Penang2030 vision and the Penang Green Agenda 2030.
He also expressed hope that the framework, due by 2027, would be implemented with clear targets and strong cooperation.
Ramli described forests, hills, rivers, coastlines and marine ecosystems as part of Penang’s “natural infrastructure”, adding that they play an important role in protecting water resources, reducing erosion, strengthening biodiversity and improving climate resilience.
He called for greater investment in sustainable urban planning, efficient public transport, ecosystem restoration and the protection of environmentally sensitive areas, while stressing that parks and green spaces should be regarded as essential public assets.
“We must nurture young people who understand that caring for the environment is not an occasional campaign, but a way of life,” he explained.
“The values we instil in each generation will endure far beyond our own lifetimes.
“If we can raise young people who love the land, respect the balance of nature and understand their duty as its custodians, they will continue to protect Penang long after we are gone.”
